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If you run it without a thermostat watch your temperature. Most heavy duty engines require a thermostat in order to get water to circulate through the radiator.

Use phosphoric acid to flush. It's safer for the engine. You can purchase it as concrete and metal etch at your local hardware store.

Napa sells both types of coolant. If you chose to go with an antique coolant you need to get strips that test for nitrites. If you chose to go with a modern coolant you need to use strips that test for carboxylates. Carboxylates don't deplete over time so testing is generally unimportant with...

Various companies make coolant test strips. Fleetguard comes to mind. Yes, you are supposed to add additional SCA every 300 hours and replace the coolant every 3000 hours or 3 years. Changing coolant filters replaces periodic dosing as the filters have additional SCA in them.

SCA is the concentrate. It stands for Supplemental Coolant Additive. Caterpillar sells it, they simply call it SCA. Nalcool 2000 is another brand. For smaller quantities (<5gal) Pencool 2000 is probably easiest to find.

That's nasty. I would suggest doing a proper acid flush when you can. The cloudiness of the coolant doesn't affect it's performance. Coolant corrosion inhibitors are film forming type and can't form films under rust. Remember that SCA levels are minimums. It's not possible for them to be too...

Only one Fleetguard coolant is "conventional" https://cms.fleetguard.com/en_NA/literature/which-fleetguard-coolant-product-right-you/lt36237 The rest are OAT long life coolants. Defcon, corrosion is any rust on the surface of the cooling passages. If the block is clean the corrosion...

Is there corrosion in your cooling system? Coolants can't protect corroded surfaces from further corrosion. Water flushing doesn't really do anything. If your system is oil contaminated you need to do a detergent wash. If it's corroded you need to do an acid wash. If it's oil contaminated and...

A modern extended life coolant with nitrites is best. A conventional coolant with nitrites is second best. Distilled water doesn't do anything so there is no reason to flush with it. IF you think your system is corroded use phosphoric or sulfamic acid to clean it, then flush with whatever water...

I would consider anything pre-aluminum radiator an older diesel. Nitrites can cause problems with brazed aluminum radiators. https://www.chevronlubricants.com/en_us/home/learning/from-chevron/industrial-machinery/nitrited-or-nitrite-free-coolants.html

If it's pre-charged or fully formulated you DO NOT need the additional dose of SCA on the initial fill. With that said, you cannot add too much SCA. You could literally run an engine on straight SCA without doing damage. Normally dosed, you DO need to add SCA every 300 hours and change the...

The pre-diluted extended life coolants ARE 50/50 ethylene glycol and water with corrosion inhibitor. You MUST not run any coolant without corrosion inhibitors. If you WANT conventional coolant hit up your local Caterpillar dealer and ask for Cat DEAC coolant. It comes pre-diluted 50/50 and has...

If you don't know the history of your coolant then you must change it. If the system is in good condition, drain it, fill it with fresh water, drain it, and fill it with new coolant of your choice. Use the OEM coolant if you have any concerns about compatibility. Otherwise you'll need to do a...

Dosing with SCA is supposed to be once every 300 hours if I remember correctly. ELC coolants perform better provided the system is clean. Not all ELC coolants protect against liner cavitation. Not all engines need protection. For example, Caterpillar requires a hybrid coolant with nitrites...

When you see this line: "formulated to be compatible with antifreeze/coolants of all major producers. " It can't be a conventional inorganic acid type coolant. FYI, SCA has always been pink.

Any coolant you buy at the auto parts store is going to be an organic acid type coolant. Conventional coolants are no longer sold at the consumer grade level. If you do want a conventional coolant Caterpillar DEAC is still available. This coolant does require regular dosing of SCA. If you want...